Is India ready for the AI revolution? The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, from generative AI tools to sophisticated machine learning algorithms, are transforming industries across the nation. From fintech's burgeoning use of AI-powered fraud detection to the agricultural sector's embrace of precision farming technologies, the impact is undeniable. This week saw a major breakthrough in indigenous 5G technology development, signaling India's growing prowess in the global tech landscape. But alongside this progress comes the crucial discussion surrounding data privacy, cybersecurity, and the ethical implications of AI deployment. How will India navigate these challenges and harness the transformative power of technology for inclusive growth? Explore the latest developments in Indian tech, from the rise of digital payments to the burgeoning startup ecosystem, and discover how innovation is shaping the nation's future. Stay informed with Abtak.com – your gateway to understanding the tech revolution reshaping India.
Indian startups nearly reached $1 billion in funding in November, boosted by major deals in e-commerce, healthtech, and fintech. While funding was slightly lower than in October, big investments in companies like Zepto and HealthKart showed strong investor interest. According to data compiled by TheKredible, Indian startups raised $972 million across 90 deals, with growth and late-stage funding dominating at $708.12 million from 14 deals. Early-stage funding contributed $263.5 million through 67 deals, while 9 deals remained undisclosed. [M-o-M and Y-o-Y trend] On a monthly basis, November saw a 19% decline in funding from $1.2 billion in October to $971.61 million. However, total funding during the first 11 months of 2024 reached approximately $13.2 billion and surpassed 2023's total of $11 billion. The November funding trend shows sharp fluctuations over four years. Startups raised $4.33 billion across 153 deals in 2021, dropping to $1.3 billion (130 deals) in 2022 and $437.5 million (89 deals) in 2023. In 2024, funding rebounded to $971.61 million across 90 deals. [Top 10 growth stage deals] Growth-stage startups dominated the funding landscape in November. With $350 million funding, Zepto led the list followed by HealthKart with $153 million in Series I funding. Sarvagram also made a notable impact with $67 million in a Series D round, while Easy Home Finance and Zopper raised $35 million and $25 million, respectively. Other significant deals included Bhanzu's $16.5 million Series B round and MODIFI's $15 million for its B2B BNPL solutions. The ePlane Co., Locad, and ShopDeck rounded out the list with funding rounds that showcased innovation across diverse sectors like aerospace, logistics, and e-commerce. [Top 10 early stage deals] UnifyApps, a SaaS enterprise integration platform, led the chart of early-stage startups with $20 million in a Series A round, followed by OneCell Diagnostics, a cancer diagnostics startup, with $16 million. RetailTech platform Wheelocity raised $15 million, while SM Toys secured $13.22 million for its global manufacturing operations. BoldFit, a D2C fitness startup, and Guardians, a proptech company, raised $13 million and $12 million, respectively. November saw 13 merger and acquisition deals across diverse sectors. Nykaa acquired a 100% stake in Earth Rhythm in the e-commerce space, while Nodwin Gaming secured Trinity Gaming for $2.84 million. Moglix expanded into manufacturing by acquiring Khatema Fibres for $9.4 million, and The Good Glamm Group also acquired a 100% stake in The Moms Co. MakeMyTrip announced plans to acquire fintech platform Happay, and Unicommerce strengthened its SaaS offerings by acquiring Shipway. Check TheKredible for more information. [City and segment-wise deals] In terms of city-wise funding, Mumbai-based startups led with $420.63 million raised across 14 deals, contributing 43.29% of the total funding. Delhi-NCR followed with $260.8 million from 26 deals, accounting for 26.84% of the funding. Bengaluru came next with $119.088 million raised through 28 deals, capturing 12.26%. Segment-wise, e-commerce startups dominated in terms of the amount raised, with 11 deals securing $535.79 million. This contributed 55.14% to the total funding. Fintech was on the second spot with 9 deals worth $155.7 million, accounting for 16.02% of the funding. SaaS startups completed 12 deals worth $53.13 million followed by EV startups which raised $26.47 million from 4 deals. Check TheKredible for more details. [Stage-wise deals] Regarding funding stages, 28 startups raised capital in the seed round, 26 in Series A, and 6 in Series B. Series F dominated with $350 million (36.02%), followed by Series I with $153 million (15.75%). Pre-Seed and debt funding contributed less than 1% each. For more details, refer to TheKredible's report. Layoff activity continued to decline in November, with only two startups laying off 100 employees during the month. This is a drop from October, where layoffs by two startups affected over 110 employees. Throughout the first 11 months of 2024, approximately 4,700 employees were let go, a significant decrease compared to the 24,000 layoffs in 2023 and 20,000 in 2022. In November, the startup ecosystem witnessed notable leadership changes, with 9 senior executives, including CEOs, MD, CPO, and co-founders, stepping down. Simultaneously, 35 key executive roles were filled, marking a period of significant transitions. A detailed list of these changes can be accessed here. [Conclusion] The funding landscape for Indian startups in November highlights a mixed bag of signals: a strong recovery from 2023 lows but still far from the peaks of 2021. The surge also reflects investor confidence in scaling businesses and continued interest in nurturing innovation. The notable dip in layoffs and leadership transitions signals a stabilizing ecosystem. With funding surpassing 2023 totals and a few more new-age IPOs on the horizon, the Indian startup ecosystem appears poised for a promising end to 2024, setting the stage for accelerated momentum in 2025.
New Delhi, Dec 3 (VOICE) White collar hiring in India grew 6 per cent in the festive season (October and November), driven by strong growths in key non-IT sectors, a report showed on Tuesday.The sectors like Oil and Gas (+16 per cent), Pharma/Biotech (+7 per cent), FMCG (+7 per cent), and real estate (+10 per cent), alongside sustained momentum in emerging domains like AI/ML (+30 per cent) and global capability centres (+11 per cent), according to Naukri JobSpeak Index. While the IT sector has historically been a dominant force in fresher hiring, the current trend shows a significant upsurge ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 4 (VOICE) Aadit Palicha, Co-founder and CEO of Zepto, on Wednesday said he is not against work-life balance and even recommends it to his competitors. Palicha's statement comes even as a viral post, on the American social media platform Reddit, accused the quick e-commerce platform of toxic work culture. "I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors :)," said the 22-year-old CEO, in a post on social media platform X. The Reddit post, by an anonymous user, alleged that Zepto's working environment was "toxic", with employees working ex ...Read More >
WarmUp Ventures Founders L to R - Rajendra Lora ,Yogesh Chaudhary , Sharad Bansal Athera Venture Partners has roped in HDFC AMC's fund of funds as an LP for its Fund IV, while Warmup Ventures is launching its second fund. HDFC AMC invests in Athera's Fund IV Tech-focused venture capital fund Athera Venture Partners, formerly known as Inventus India, on Wednesday said that HDFC's fund of funds has invested in its Fund IV, which is scheduled to close in 2025. HDFC AMC's Select AIF FoF I Scheme will be a dominant LP in Athera's Rs 900-crore fund to be invested into fast-growing tech startups ...Read More >
Tata Steel launched an all-women mining shift at its Noamundi iron mine in Jharkhand, a first in India. This initiative builds on their "Women@Mines" program and aims to empower women in mining. The company trained local women to operate heavy machinery through the "Tejaswini" initiatives, leading to this milestone. Tata Steel also achieved 20% diversity in its India workforce.In order to bring in more diversity, Tata Steel has rolled out an all-women shift at its Noamundi iron mine in Jharkhand. ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Fintech firm BimaPay Finsure on Thursday said it has entered into corporate insurance financing and aims for Rs 20 crore in premiums in 2025-26. Launching the pilot phase with insurance partners, BimaPay said the initiative will allow businesses to pay premiums in easy equated monthly instalments (EMIs) instead of bearing the burden of full upfront costs. Also Read | Who Is Pinaki Misra? From Age to Family Background and Net Worth, Here's All About BJD Leader With Whom Mahua Moitra Reportedly Married. The company aims to finance over Rs 20 crore worth of premiums by t ...Read More >
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged five individuals, including goldy Brar, in relation to the 2024 Gurugram club bombing plot, as revealed in a recently filed chargesheet. This case involves a conspiracy to bomb two clubs, aiming to disrupt communal harmony in Haryana, with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) implicated. The NIA's investigation highlights the severity of the plot. Those charged include satinderjit Singh (Goldy Brar), Sachin Talian, Ankit, Bhavish, and Randeep Singh. News Directory 3 provides crucial updates on sensitive cases such ...Read More >
VISAKHAPATNAM: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar inaugurated Andhra Pradesh's first Super ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) compliant building at Sagar Nagar in Visakhapatnam on Friday. Terming it a landmark in sustainable infrastructure, he emphasised the government's commitment to energy efficiency and green design in public facilities. The facility will serve as a national-level training hub for power sector staff. He urged power utilities to expedite 20 lakh rooftop solar connections, targeting 10,000 in each Assembly segment. He reaffirmed nine-hour uninterrupted power for agri ...Read More >
Chennai, June 29 (UNI) The four member Ax-4 crew were fully immersed in their mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Axiom Space said today. On the fourth day updates, it said Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) Commander Peggy Whitson, Indian Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla "Shux," Mission Specialist Sławosz "Suave" Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu are now fully immersed in their mission aboard the ISS wrapping up their day on orbit with a schedule full of scientific research and international outreach." The Ax-4 crew has transitioned smoothly from arrival protocols to ha ...Read More >
Vastu Housing has raised $100 million from the global consumer internet group Prosus. The Amsterdam-based investor has acquired an 8.4% stake (7.8% fully diluted) in the home finance company. Vastu Housing Finance is a prominent player in the affordable housing finance sector, focusing on underserved communities. In September, Vastu received a $50 million loan from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (USDFC). Housing finance companies have attracted significant funding in recent months. Recently, Easy Home Finance raised $35 million in a fresh funding round led by ...Read More >
NewsVoir Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 6: Bajaj Finserv AMC has launched its latest offering, the Bajaj Finserv Healthcare Fund, which is available for subscription from 6th to 20th December 2024. This new fund is designed to capture the immense opportunities emerging in India's healthcare space, allowing investors to tap into the evolving megatrends while building wealth over the long term. The health and wealth connection As India's population grows and ages, the demand for healthcare services, products, and innovation is expected to soar. In fact, the healthcare sector is set to b ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 17 (VOICE) Fitness startup Curefit's consolidated loss has increased by 42 per cent to Rs 888.5 crore in FY24 from Rs 625.5 crore in FY23. The company's EBITDA loss surged by 123.4 per cent to Rs 587.97 crore in FY24 from Rs 263.2 crore in FY23. The reason for the increase in the company's loss in the last financial year is the high cash burn. Curefit's advertising and promotion expenditure has increased by 40.67 per cent year-on-year (YoY) basis to Rs 188.5 crore in FY24 from Rs 134 crore in FY23. At the same time, the company's expenditure on legal and professional services ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], December 12: Navanc, a pioneering FinTech startup building India's first AI-powered property score and stack for secured lending and insurance practices, has successfully raised USD 1 million in a seed funding round. The round was led by Prarambh Ventures, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), Brigade REAP FirstPort Capital, and marquee angel investors Also Read | US: Joe Biden Commutes Roughly 1,500 Sentences and Pardons 39 People in Biggest Single-Day Act of Clemency. The funds will be directed toward expanding operations across India, with a ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 26 (VOICE) India in 2024 saw a boom in employment rates, with women and youth leading the charge in workforce participation, according to a report.The report by Apna.co, a job and professional networking platform, showed women contributed an impressive 2.8 crore job applications -- 20 per cent higher than in 2023. Similarly, the youth posted a 27 per cent year-on-year increase in job applications. Women contributed an impressive 2.8 crore job applications out of a total of 7 crore, a 25 per cent year-on-year surge, in 2024. Flexible work opportunities, gender-focused initiativ ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jun 7 (PTI) Authorities on Saturday barred Eid prayers from taking place at the Eidgah ground and the Jama Masjid in the old city here, while Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claimed that he was put under house arrest. "Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar deeply regrets to inform that the authorities have once again disallowed Eid-ul-Adha prayers at the Eidgah as well as at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar by closing the gates of the mosque and deploying police personnel outside," the management of the historic mosque said in a statement. ...Read More >
Bengaluru: ShopOS, a startup building an AI-based operating system for e-commerce, has raised $20 million led by Binny Bansal's 3State Ventures. The company said it will use the funds to expand its engineering team and further develop its AI platform, and add more brand customers. Founded by Sai Krishna V K and Ajay P V, ShopOS develops software that uses AI to streamline common e-commerce tasks, including creating product listings, generating marketing campaigns, and adapting online stores based on visitor behaviour. The company aims to reduce manual effort and enable brands to operate across ...Read More >
India is also undergoing a content revolution. In the past five years, short-form video platforms have witnessed a 3.6X surge in daily active users, positioning themselves as serious competitors to mainstream digital entertainment platforms. India's online commerce sector is set to skyrocket from $30 billion in 2020 to $300 billion by 2030, contributing to what is now being dubbed a $1 trillion digital consumer opportunity, according to a new report by Bessemer Venture Partners titled Click, Wat ...Read More >
Pune: The Pune Cyber police on Wednesday arrested Abhishek Shukla (42), an Australia-based Indian Overseas Citizen (IOC) card holder, at Mumbai international airport for allegedly duping a 40-year-old divorcee and software firm employee from Kharadi of Rs 3.6 crore in a matrimonial fraud in 2023-24. According to the police, the two came in contact with each other after the woman, a mother of two hailing from Delhi, uploaded her profile on a matrimonial website in 2023. She lodged a complaint with the police last Nov."Our team arrested Shukla from the Mumbai international airport early Wednesda ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
Bengaluru : Kinara Capital, a leading fintech driving MSME financial inclusion, today released its fourth edition of MSME Insights, signaling strong optimism and increased formalization in the MSME sector. MSME entrepreneurs are confident about their near-term business growth prospects. According to the latest MSME Insights, 81% of the surveyed MSMEs expect their business revenue to increase within the next 1-2 years. Of these, 34% anticipate a revenue growth of more than 15% in their businesses. Additionally, MSMEs are embracing formalization, with 51.7% of the surveyed reporting that they ar ...Read More >
Mumbai: B2B startup Jumbotail raised a fresh $120 million in funding from investors led by SC Ventures, the investment arm of Standard Chartered, at a valuation of $1 billion, sources said. The company disclosed the investment details in a statement on Monday but did not comment on the valuation. Existing investor Artal Asia also backed the funding round. Jumbotail has become the fifth unicorn of the year.The jump in Jumbotail's valuation was helped by its acquisition of Solv India, a B2B commerce and financial services platform incubated by SC Ventures. It is understood that the $1-billion va ...Read More >
In a turbulent market environment, Leslie's Inc. (LESL) stock has tumbled to a 52-week low, reaching a price level of just $2.42. This significant downturn reflects a stark contrast from its performance over the past year, with the company's shares experiencing a precipitous decline of -54.12%. Investors are closely monitoring Leslie's financial health and market position, as the stock's current valuation marks a critical juncture for the company's future trajectory. The substantial year-over-year drop has raised concerns among shareholders and market analysts alike, as they seek to understand ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 18 (PTI) Jobs and talent platform and a Quess company, foundit, on Wednesday announced the appointment of V Suresh as its Chief Executive Officer. With over two decades of experience in the internet domain, digital transformation, and the e-recruitment ecosystem, Suresh brings a wealth of strategic expertise and a forward-looking vision to foundit (formerly Monster APAC and ME), the company said in a statement. "Suresh's deep understanding of the digital talent ecosystem and proven ability to scale businesses will help us strengthen our leadership position in the market. Under hi ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued advisory to all e-commerce platforms to take necessary steps to ensure that their platforms do not engage in deceptive and unfair trade practice which are in the nature of Dark Patterns. In a release on Saturday, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said that all e-commerce platforms have been advised to conduct self-audits to identify dark patterns within 3 months of the issue of the advisory and take necessary steps to ensure that their platforms are free from such dark patte ...Read More >
Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], June 7 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, while inaugurating the new Development Center of Infosys at GIFT City, reaffirmed the State Government's commitment to advancing the AI industry by implementing artificial intelligence-based systems across the state. He stated that the establishment of an AI Centre of Excellence at GIFT City is aimed at creating a unified platform that brings together solution developers, experts, professionals, and startups under one roof. Also Read | Latur Shocker: Man Kidnaps Woman's Child for Rejecting His Proposal for A ...Read More >
The victim, who originally hails from Delhi and is currently residing in the Kharadi, had created a profile on the matrimony site seeking a prospective bridegroom. In 2023, she received a message claiming to be Dr Rohit Oberoi, an Australian citizen of Indian origin. Over time, the duo developed a close relationship. The accused visited her in Pune and other cities in India, further gaining her trust. The victim had previously received ₹5 crore as alimony after a divorce and was planning to st ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
NewsVoir Gurugram (Haryana) [India], December 12: Navanc, a pioneering FinTech startup building India's first AI-powered property score and stack for secured lending and insurance practices, has successfully raised USD 1 million in a seed funding round. The round was led by Prarambh Ventures, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), Brigade REAP FirstPort Capital, and marquee angel investors The funds will be directed toward expanding operations across India, with a focus on strengthening Navanc's presence in urban and semi-urban areas. Additionally, the startup will bolster ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], February 3: SarkarSEO, a leading SEO agency, is introducing a new approach to digital rankings with its Search Everywhere Optimization strategy. As AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Bing AI change how people find information, SarkarSEO is helping businesses rank across all platforms, not just Google. Also Read | US Shocker: Woman Allegedly Beats 14-Year-Old Son to Death With Extension Cord Over Unfinished Chores, Waits 5 Minutes Before Calling 911; Arrested. Search Everywhere Optimisation takes advantage of the fractured nature of the search, optimisi ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >